Clothes rinsing and drying apparatus



Sept. l, 1936. l A. c. ScHMELzr-:R 2,052,665

CLOTHES RINSING AND DRY-ING APPARATUS Filed sept. 7, 195s 4 sheets-sheet 1 Sept. 1, 1936. A. c. scHMELzER 2,052,666

CLOTHES RINSING AND DRYING APPARATUS I Filed sept. 7, 1933 4 sheets-sheet 2 W 58V 67 l A. C. SCHMELZER CLOTHES RINSING AND DRYING APPARATUS sept. 1, 1936. 2,052,666

Filed Sept. 7', 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 1, 1936. A, C SCHMELZER 2,052,666

CLOTHES RI'NSING AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 7, 1933 4 Sl'lee'cS-ShfeI 4 Patented Sept. l, 1936 YU'i` STA PATENT OFFICE Y CLOTHES RINSING AND DRYING APPARATUS 17 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in clothes rinsing and drying apparatus.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved centrifugal rinsing and dry- 5 ing apparatus which may be conveniently attached to and driven from the conventional wringer type of washing machine.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the wringer drive shaft housing or tubing as a means of attachment and support for the drier.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for stepping up the speed of rotation of the wringer drive to adapt the same for d riving the centrifugal drier.

This is conveniently accomplished according to my invention by providing means whereby the centrifugal drier may be connected directly to the wringer drive, and substituted for the Wringer, upon removal of the latter from the machine.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure V1 shows a side view of a washing machine with the drying apparatus according to the invention attached thereto;

- Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View through the wringer drive coupling mechanism of a washing machine;

D FigurefB is a longitudinal sectional view of the drying apparatus;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the rotatory support of the drier;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 5 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the drying apparatus partly in section to disclose the suspension of the drying basket; Y

Figure 'I is a, horizontal sectional view on line I-'I of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view through the drive shaft showing the rotatable arrangement of the gear box with respect to the housing for the drive shaft; and

vFigure 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Figure 1 showing a plan View of the bracket which connects the drying apparatus to the Washing machine.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 50 I dentes a tub or washing receptacle of any suitable construction which is supported on legs 2 and closed at its top by means of a removable cover 3. Within the receptacle I, and at the bottom thereof, is an agitator i including a sleeve 55 portion li' sleeved upon and suitably keyed to a vertical shaft 5 driven from a motor M. A horizontally dispo-sed main drive shaft 5 leading from lmotor M carries a worm l which meshes with and drives a large worm gear 8 fixed to the lower end of a wringer drive shaft 9.v Rotatably fixed port for the wringer and its mechanism.

to and depending from worm gear Bis a crank arm I to which one end of a rack bar II is pivoted the other end of this arm meshing with a pinion I2 fixed to the lower end ofthe sleeve 4 previously mentioned. The radial agitator blades i3 being xed to sleeve 4' and the latter being keyed to vertical shaft 5, it follows that these blades will be oscillated when motor M is running. e

Shaft 9 and its enclosing tubing or sleeve I4 lead upwardly to a gear case I which sleeves over and is supported by the upper end of said tubing. 'Ihe gearing Within gear case I5 for actuating the wringer (not shown), include a pair of bevel gears I6--I6 loosely mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 9 and normally engaging with the upper and lower faces of the gear Il. A short coupling shaft I8 fixed to this gear I'I by pin I9 has a squared outer end 29 adapted for detachable slip connection with the lower or drive roll of the wringer, the latter being customarily provided with a correspondingly squared opening for this purpose. The inner ends of gears I5 are provided with clutch faces I6 adapted to be engaged by corresponding clutch faces on the ends of an interposed clutch collar 2! which is splined upon the shaft 9 to rotate therewith and with freedom to move endwise into and out of engagement with theclutch faces I6. y

A rock shaft 22 is journaled in a suitable bearing 23 on the outer side of the gear case I5 Vand is held against movement by an adjusting screw 24 which enters an annular groove 25. This rock shaft is provided with an eccentric pin 26 carry- Y ing the roller 2'! which rides in the annular groove 28 in the clutch collar 2I to adjust said collar axially into and out of engagement with one or the other of the gears I 6, according to the direction in which it is desired to rotate the wringer rolls. A handle 29 affords convenient means for operating the rock shaft.

The tubing I4 which encloses the wringer drive shaft 9 is connected to the washer I, by means of a bracket 30 and the reduction gearing box 3| is also connected by an arm or bracket 32 to the washer, thus providing a stable sup- It will also be noted that reduction gearing 'I and 8 permit of the shaft 9 being rotated at suitable wringer speed. As the mechanism so far described is of old and well known construction further detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The present invention comprises a centrifugal drier tank or receptacle 33 the mechanism of which is driven from the squared 4end 20 of coupling shaft I8, by means of drive shaft 34. This shaft 34 is enclosed for rotation in a tubing 35 supported at opposite ends adjacent one` side so of the drier tank, by means of upper and lower brackets 36 and 3l in turn secured to and projecting laterally from the centrifugal drier.

Drier tank 33, preferably cylindrical in shape is reduced in diameter at its lower end to form a drain chamber 42 and a cylindrical portion 4I forming part of the housing of a pump 44. As shown the pump housing consists of two halves, a lower half 43, formed by the inwardly bent and'suitably shaped lower part or wall of portion 4| and an upper half 45 consisting Vofv a preferably cup-shaped inset member which rests upon and is welded to said lower half 43. A plurality of impeller blades 46 rotate in the portion 4I and discharge liquid into the ypump housing. These impeller blades 46 are secured in any suitable manner as by rivets 49 to inner and outer spaced bell shaped blade retainers 4l and 48 respectively, which retainers form a bell shaped chamber circumferentially open at its top and bottom andrin communication at its bottom with the pump housing. V'The bell shaped chamber, when rotated by driven shaft 59 forces the liquid in said chamber by centrifugal action into the pump housing from where such liquid is discharged in any suitable manner as for example through a passage 54.

Yto

A downwardly and inwardly inclined drain board 49 is formed with an outer, depending, annular flange 50, which engages snugly the inner wall of portion 4l and rests upon the upturned ange 5I of the upper half 45 of the pump housing.' Drain board 49 is also formed with a shirt inner depending flange 59 surrounding the central drip opening 53. Flange 56 extends over the outer retainer member 48 and directs water extracted from the clothes between the bellshaped retainers 4l, 48 from whence it is discharged in an obvious manner through outlet 54, when the impeller blades and their retainers are rotated.

Mounted within the tank 33 for rotation Iabout the axis is agshort shaft 59, which extends downwardly through the tank and carries a perforated metal clothes .basket or extractor in which the clothes to be. rinsed and dried are placed.v 'Ihis basket is formed intermediate its ends with an outwardly bulged curved portion 56 which seats within a supporting ring 5l in turn Welded orvotherwise suitably secured to the upper ends of a plurality ofsupporting arms 58,

. substantially U-shaped in cross section, and preftween ythese parts,the t is suchthat the basket Y is free for universal movement. One or more driving pins 8,5 project outwardly from the basket through notches 86 in the straight portion 52 of ring l15'!Y thus locking these parts againstr independent rotary movement. VConsequently all danger of chattering will be eliminated under such circumstances. However, should the weight "of clothes be unevenly placed inthe basket,'the latter will automatically tilt in its swivel ring mounting andbring the weight closer tothe axial center ofthe drive shaft, thus eliminating objectionable chattering and strain by keeping the basket in perfect balance. Y

Yinner impeller blade retainer 4l is pressed upon or otherwise suitably secured to drive head 69 for rotation therewith. The upper squared end 65 of shaft 59 fits within the squared opening 66 of the drive head and a bolt 6l passes through the Y cap 6|, arms 5B and into the said squared end of the shaft to clamp these parts securely together. Shaft 59 extends downwardly throughan upper bearing 58 which seats within a bearing support 69, the upper ends of both of which parts are enclosed by the depending sleeve flange 'I6 of the drivehead on which the inner impeller blade retainer 4l is Xed. A felt packing member 'Il interposed between the lower end of bearing 68 and a shoulder 'l2 on the'rbearing support 69 takes care of the slight amount of water which may back up between the drive head and bearing support and thence down around Vtl'ie shaft and its upper bearing. However the upper end of the shaft 59 is formed with shallow spiral grooves E3 cut in a direction opposite to the rotation of the shaft to expel with pumping eiect practically all water before it has an opportunity Y to'reach the felt packing.

A bearing housing 74 which is screwed to the bearing support 69 at l5, supports the lower half 43 of the pump 44, formed by the lower end of the drive tank, and clamps the latter to therbearing support, a lead packing I6Y being employed toY insure a liquid tight seal. This housing also encloses and supports thrust bearing upon'which. the lower end bearing support 69 seats.` This Yscrewed into the lower'end of the housing 14 against a packing member 8l which packingprevents escape of oil. The entire weight Vofthe drier is borne by supporting bracket 3l secured at one end to the bearing support housing 14 by means of bolts 82 and at its other end welded to the tubing 35 enclosing the main drier vshaft 34 which shaft 34 is driven through coupling shaft i8 previously referred to as being conventionally employed for driving a wringer, not shown. Bracket 3l, is formed with openingsto facilitate attachment to the housing'14 and shaft tubing 35 respectively. f t

Coupling shaft i8 fits Within the squared opening of a coupling member 90 secured to one end of a horizontalrshaft 9i which extends through an end plate l38 closing the open end of gear box l5and through a bearing 92 into a gear box 93, and then into a second bearing 94. portion of bearing 92 is sleeved into a'tubular extension l39 of plate 85 andthus permits axial The front adjustment of shaft SI with respect to coupling shaft I8. Fixed to shaft 9i is a large bevel gear 95 which drives a small bevel gear 96 loosely mounted on shaft 34 and fixed to a large gear 97 also loosely mounted on shaft 34. 91 drives a small gearA 99 loosely mounted on the stud shaft. Large idler gear i60 meshes Gear with and drives asmall gear lill keyed to the drier shaft 34, thus driving the latter at much greater speed than that of wringer coupling shaft*l8.V .75

VI8. and shaft 9|.

`.A drive belt IN2-connects a. large pulley 83v on shaft 3dwith a small pulley 84- on shaft`59, thus completing the drive from motor Mto the drier basket 55. Y

Mounted in the upper end of the drierl tank 33 is a rectangular tray |98, having a depending annular ange |96. Bracket 36 is secured to the bottom of tray |98 by rivets- |95 or other suitable fastening means. This bracket extends to and is connected with the tubing 35v thus cooperating with bracket 31 to rigidly support the drier and its mechanism. A drain ring |56 seats Yv'vithinthe tray, which ring prevents clothes from dropping down between the clothes basket 55 and the inner Walll of the tank 35.

The drier is provided with a pair of slidably mounted drain boards |09 which serve as a cover when in inner position and as a support for the clothes when in Figure 6 or extended position. Secured to the inner ends of these boards are angle irons ||U the vertical portions of which are notched at .their endsas at 2. These notchedends interlock with Vthe top and bottom wallsrof slots ||3 formed in opposite sides'rof the rectangular tray. The notched ends of angle irons can be freely inserted into the slots during assembly, by tilting the outer ends of the boards upwardly, entering the notched ends intoV the slots and then tilting the boards downwardly.

Gear box 93 is preferably swiveled to tubing 35 to facilitate coupling of shaft 9| with the coupling shaft of a wringer type washing machine. To obtain this desideratum the bottom wall of said box is provided with a downwardly extending iiange |||3 encircling the opening ||5 through which shaft 34 passes. Flange ||4 extends into ltubing 35 and rests with its lower edge upon a steel washer H6, which washer seats upon a bearing ||1 for shaft 34. This bearing is tightly secured to tubing 35, by pressing the wall of said tubing circumferentially into av grooved portion cured to shaft 34, is seated upon steel washer H6, and supports the said shaft. Iti can be seen that gear box 93 can easily be rotated to any desired position to effect proper coupling between shaft This swiveled mounting of gear box 93, also permits of the drier being rotated about'the axis of tubing I4 for thepurpose of bringing theV wash board` |99 into proper relative position with the open top of the washer, after the' shafts 9| and I8 have been coupled.

vShaft 34 is guided at the lower end of tubing 35m abushing |2I, which is also'rigidly secured to said tubing by pressing the tubing wallinto a grooved portion |22 of said bushing. A packing |23, held in place by a gland member |24 seats the bottom end of tubing against shaft 35.

Tubing 35, is utilized toy secure the drier to a 4washing machine, a bracket |25, clamped to tubing 35 and to the tubing I5 of the washing machine being employed for making the connection. This bracket comprises two parts |26, |21 each of which includes a tube clamping seat |28, |29 respectively adapted to Vsnugly receive one of the tubes Ill and 35 and to tightly grip said tube, when thumb nuts |'39'of bolts |3| are screwed home. The two parts |26 and |21 of bracket |25 are linked together by levers |32, |33 pivotally connected with the respective bracket parts |26 and |21 and with each other. There are two levers connectedV to each part |26 and |21 and the pivotal connection of these levers with each other is guided in a vertical slot |34, which is provided in a lateral extension |31 of bracket partit-26. This arrangement permits shifting of the drier with respect to the washing machine for quick adjustment of the drier with respect to the said washing machine. When proper adjustment between the drier and the washing machine has been made, the thumb nuts |35 of bolts |36, are screwed home to rigidly clamp levers |32 and |33 together and secure the drier in its adjusted position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupled with the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine, a casing, an extractor container'journaled within said casing, a means for driving said container including a drive shaft, a bearing housing for said shaft secured to said casing coaxial with said drive shaft, bearing means within and supported by said bearing housing, and a coupling means supported upon said bearing housing and connected with said drive shaft, said coupling means being independent of said casing and adapted to be connected to the wringer gear box of a washing machine.

2. In a centrifugal drierunit adapted to be coupled with and driven by the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine, a casing, an extractor container journaled within said casing, a drive shaft adjacent to said casing, extended above the top thereof and coupled with said extractor container, a tubular bearing housing for said drive shaft secured to said casing coaxial with said drive shaft, and a gear box supported upon said tubular housing independent of and above said casing, said gear box being coupled with said extended drive shaft, and a shaft laterally extending from said gear box, said lateral shaft being adapted to be coupled with the wringer-gear box of a washing machine.

3. A centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupled with and driven by the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine all as described in claim 2. wherein said gear box is freely rotatably supported upon said tubular housing.

e. In a centrifugal drier unit adapted to be driven by the wringcr drive shaft of a washing machine and coupled with the wringer gear case thereof, a casing, an extractor container journaledA within said casing, a vertical drive shaft laterally arranged of said casing and extended above the tcp thereof, a tubing coaxial with said extended shaft, means for securing said tubing to said casing, a gear box rotatably supported upon said tubing independent of and above said casing and coupled with said extended shaft, a horizontal shaft extended from said gear box, coupling means including means slidably mounted on said gear box and sleeved upon said horizontal shaft, said coupling means being adapted to couple and align said gear box and its horizcntalshaft with the wringer gear case of a washing machine.

5. A centrifugal drier unit as described in claim 1 embodying clamping means secured to said bearing housing between the opposite ends thereof, said clamping means including a laterally extending arm provided at its end with clamping extensions adapted to tightly grip the tubing of the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine.

6. In aV centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupled with the wringer drive shaft'of fai washing machine, a casing, an extractor container journaled within said casing and means adapted to connect said casing to the wringer drive shaft tubingof a washingvmachine, said connecting means including aY vertical rtubing secured at spaced'points to one side 'of said ycasing,V and a drive shaft within said vertical tubing, means atV the upperl end of said shaft adapted to be coupled `with thek wringer gear case of a washing machine, and `vmeans at the lower end of said shaft for driving connection-with said extractor container, said means at the upper end of vsaid shaft being enclosed in a gear casing pivotally supported upon said tubing for free ,rotatory movement Ywith respect to said casing.

r7. In a centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupled with the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine, a casing, an extractor container journaled within said casing, a lvertical drive shaft for said extractor container arrangedY at one side of the casing, a tubing coaxial with said drive shaft, means for securing said tubing to said casing, a .gear box pivotally supported upon said tubing ab-ove said casing coupled with the upper end of said drive shaft and rotary speed increasing means supported by said casing and coupled with said extractorcontainer and the lower endrrof said vertical driveshaft.

8. In a centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupledvwith and driven by the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine, a casingV an ex-V tractor container rotatably supported within said casing, a vertical drive shaft arranged at one side of said casing and extended above the top thereof, a tubing co-axial with said drive shaft, brackets securing the opposite ends of said tubing to said drier unit, a gear box pivotally supported upon the upper end of said tubing coupled with the upper end of said drive'shaft, and speed increasing means secured to said casing below the bottom thereof and coupled with the lower end of said` drive shaft.

9. A centrifugal drier unit as described in claim 8, wherein said gear box includes a horizontal shaft laterally extended from said box andgwherein gearing yin the gear box reduces the speed of -said horizontal shaft with respect to the speed of said drive shaft.

10. A centrifugal drier unit as described in claim 8, wherein said extractor container is seatedY upon a verticalzshaft and wherein pumping means are provided on said shaft below said extractor Vcontainer for sucking water and air from said casing. Y

1l. In a centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupled with the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine, a casing, an extractor container journaled within said casing, means adapted to connect said casingto the wringer drive shaft tubing of a washing machine including'a bearing housing secured at spaced points to said casing, a drive shaftY journaled within .said bearing housing, means at the upper endv of said drive shaft adapted to couple said shaft with the wringer gear box of a washing machine, and means at the lower end of said shaft adapted to couple said shaft with said extractor container.

12. InVr a centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupled with and driven by the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine, a casing, an extractor container journaled within said casing, aY drive shaft adjacent to said casing coupled with said extractor Y container, a tubing secured to said casing coaxial with said drive shaft, a gear box freely rotatably supported upon said. tubing independent of said casing, said gear box being coupled Vwith said drive shaft, anda shaft laterally extendingv from said gear box, said lateral shaft being adapted to be coupled with the wringergear box of a washing machine. i

13. YIna centrifugal drier unit adapted to be coupled with the wringer drive'shaft of a washing machine, a casing, an extractor container journaled within said "casing, a drive shaft adjacent to said casing, said shaft being coupled with said extractor container, a bearing housing for saidshaft secured -to said casing, a coupling means supported upon said bearing housing independent of saidj casing coupled with said shaft, said Ycoupling means including means for attaching same to the wringer gear box of a washing machine and coupling said shaft with the wringer gear box, and means onV said bearing housing betweenl its opposite ends adapted to rigidly secure said bearing housing to the wringer driveshafttubing of a vwashing machine, when said coupling means coucoupling of said means with the said tubing of the wringer drive shaft of the washing machine.

15. A centrifugal drier unit as described in claim Y13, wherein said means on Ysaid bearing housing are adjustably secured theretoY and embody av laterally extensible clamping arm for facilitating clamping of said means tothe tubing of the vwringer' drive shaft of said `washing machine.V

16. In a centrifugal drier unit adaptedto be driven bythe wringer drive shaft of a washing machine and 'coupled with the wringer gear case f thereof, a casing, anextractor container journaled Within said casing, a drive shaft laterally arranged of said casing and' extended; above the top thereof, a tubing coaxial with said extended Y shaft, means for securing said tubing to said cas-'- ing, a gear box supported upon said tubing above the top of said casing coupled with said shaft, a

horizontal shaft extended from said gear box, and

means longitudinally and rotatably adjustably supported on said gearbox in axial alignmentY with said horizontal shaft adapted to align said horizontal shaft of said gear box with the wringer i gear case of a washing machine.

1'7. In a.Y centrifugalrdrier unit adapted vto be coupled with and 'driven by the wringer drive shaft of a washing machine, a casing, an extractor a vertical drive shaft arranged at one side of said casing, a bearing housing for said drive shaft supported by said drier unit, speediincreasing-Ineans secured to said casing 'below the bottom thereof coupled with the lower end of said drive shaft and .container rotatably supported within said casing, :L5-.5.

said extractor container, speedy increasing means Y supported on the top of said bearing housing ,and

coupled with the upper end of said drive shaft including a laterally extending shaft, and means on said last speed increasing means adapted to align said laterally extending shaft with the gearbox of a washing machine and couple said laterally extending shaft with said gear box for actuation by the wringer drive lshaft of said washing machine. Y Y

ANTONv C. sCnMELzER. 

